


A new King

by Emilia_Dre



Category: Kings (TV 2009)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-22
Updated: 2020-03-22
Packaged: 2021-02-28 22:20:50
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,148
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23264611
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Emilia_Dre/pseuds/Emilia_Dre
Summary: If King Silas thought he had gotten rid of David by forcing him out of Shiloh and into hiding, he thought wrong. Because David is not yet done fighting and now he has chosen a new ally.
Kudos: 5





	A new King

It was two minutes past midnight and David was pacing up and down the small flat in the outskirts of Shiloh where he was hiding. He was pretty sure Jack wouldn’t show up. Why should he? He was the reason the young prince was now imprisoned with a woman he despised, after all. And besides he was a real challenge to Jack’s ascend to the throne, as well. Or at least according to god he was serious competition. The fact that he had no interest in becoming king didn’t seem to matter at all. So, there was no reason for Jack to risk being caught leaving his flat just to meet someone he despised. And the note David had somehow smuggled to the prince was probably not telling enough to make him change his mind. David had not dared to put anything of meaning in it since he wasn’t sure whether he could trust the guard who had been willing to smuggle it in.

David was still busy wondering whether Jack would show up when a knock on the door startled him. He walked over, opened the door and was surprised to see Jack standing outside. For a moment they just looked at each other while David was searching for words unable to find any.

“I know I’m late, but I had a little problem getting rid of my guards”, Jack said after a few seconds, “Are you going to ask me in, or do you plan for me to keep on standing outside your flat?”

David slowly took a few steps back to let Jack in still unable to think of something to say.

“I didn’t think you’d show up”, he said after he had shut the door and they had just stood there in silence for a while.

“I gathered that from you not knowing what to say. What is it you wanted to talk to me about?”

“Our future”, David answered.

“Our future? As in yours and mine or as in the future of Gilboa?”

“Well, they are all connected so both I guess.”

“That might be true for you, but I’ve been taken out of Gilboa’s future by my father and it doesn’t seem to be anyone’s will for me to get back into the game. You’re supposed to be the next king, after all.”

“Yeah, according to god or whatever.” David shrugged. “The thing is I don’t want to be the next king. I don’t care about the throne in the slightest.”

“I don’t think you have a choice.”

“We always have a choice and I’ve already decided that I don’t want to be king.”

“Okay. What do I have to do with any of that?”

“The fact that I think you should be king.”

“Yeah, I don’t know if you have any clue of what has been going on lately, but I don’t think anyone else wants me to be king.”

“Yes, they do.”

“No, they don’t. I tried it about two months ago and it went horribly wrong. I got imprisoned with a woman I can’t stand because of it. And if I’m not mistaken you are one of the reasons it went so wrong. So, I’ll pass, thank you.”

“Yes, I know and I’m sorry for that. But you tried it the wrong way at the wrong time.”

“So, you’re saying you know the right way and the right time?”

“Yes, I do. But I’ll need you to trust me on this. We aren’t going to make it without each other.”

“I’m supposed to trust you with possibly my life when you just got me imprisoned? And when there is a big chance that you are just going to use me to become king yourself?”

“Yes, you are. And I know it might not be easy right now, but we can only make it against your father if we stand together and have each other’s back. It’s the only way for you to make it out of the let’s say uncomfortable situation you’re in right now.”

“If you say so.” Jack shrugged. “What’s the plan?”

“First of all, we’ll have to find allies and we’ll have to act fast or our window will close. Because right now the people really don’t like your father. They agree that what you did wasn’t okay, but they disagree with the way he dealt with you and with what he did to you. They think you should have been forgiven. And they are even more upset with the way he treated me and that I had to run since I helped him. So, right now we might be able to rally he people behind you if we choose the right way.”

“That being?”

“A way without violence if possible. If we try to overthrow your father violently the people will dismiss us as being just as bad as he is. But if we choose to not use force if it isn’t absolutely necessary, if we choose the peaceful path, they are going to follow us because we prove to them that you aren’t a tyrant. Which is what they think of your father at the moment.”

“You really think we might have a shot?”

“I do.”

“Okay. Do you also have an actual plan or are you making it up as you’re going? And if you do have a plan what is it?”

“Right now, the plan is for me to go to Gath to see whether or not I am able to get them to support us. They’re going to resume the peace talks with your father later this month but if we tell them the whole story maybe we can get them to stop them again or to change their demands for resuming them to include pardoning us.”

“How would them threatening to not pick up the peace talks help us?”

“There is nothing the people of Gilboa want more right now than peace with Gath. If they now found out that this peace is threatened because your father is stubborn and won’t pardon you. They will rise against your father. And your father knows that. So, he will have no choice but pardon you. And that will get us back into the game and make it easier to find allies.”

“What if he doesn’t pardon me?”

“Then we’ll have the people of Gilboa behind us. Although I fear that might mean more violence in the streets.”

“But you said we shouldn’t provoke violence.”

“Yes. And we wouldn’t have. We are never going to ask anyone to violently rise up against your father. He provoked the violence by threatening the peace with Gath.”

“This could actually work.”

“I definitely hope so. Because if it doesn’t and your father finds out we played a role in all of it we might not survive it. I’m not going to lie. This plan is playing with fire and we might very well burn ourselves.”

“But it is also our only shot at freedom, so I’m in. What do you need me to do?”

“Right now, I need you to lay low. We can only decide our next steps when I’m back from Gath and know whether they are going to support us. Until then you should get back to your flat and maybe you could carefully try to get your guards to change allegiance. I know they’re open to that since my note reached you. Start with the guy who gave it to you.”

“I will. Should I get my fiancée involved?”

“That is your decision. But she works for a news company, so if you’re sure you can trust her to keep quiet now, she might prove to be useful in the future.”

“Okay, then I will carefully test the waters if she can be trusted. Are you going to talk to Michelle?”

“Why should I do that?”

“Well, we might need her support and I thought the two of you were an item, so why shouldn’t you? That’s why my father exiled you, isn’t it?”

“It is not. Your sister and I are nothing more than friends.”

“Wait. You’re not a couple?”

“Yes. I don’t have any sexual interest in your sister.”

“You don’t?”

“I most certainly do not.”

“Then I’ll be talking to her while you’re in Gath. She is one of the few people allowed to visit me. And the only one who actually does.”

“Good idea.”

“How will I be able to reach you if I need to?”

“I don’t think we should contact each other while I’m in Gath but I’ll let you know as soon as I’m back. Maybe you’ll have a few guards you can trust by then. And if there is something really important try to get a hold of my brothers. They helped me hide here and they’ll know how to get it to me in Gath. James will know how to find them.”

David looked at the clock hanging over the door and walked over to a cupboard in which he had hidden a backpack with everything he had been able to grab when he had gone into hiding.

“I’m sorry but I’ll have to get going now. I only have a small window to get into Gath and if I miss that we can burry our plan.”

“I should get going, as well. I wish you the best of luck. And thank you.”

“There is nothing to thank me for. I’m the reason we’re in this situation, after all.”

“Yes, but you’re also giving me hope that there might be better days ahead. Take care and be careful.”

“I will. Take care, as well. And I’ll let you know when I’m back.”

For a few seconds the two men just stood there opposite each other not quite sure of what to do next. And for just a moment it seemed as if they were going to hug but then David just raised his hand a little.

“I’ll better get going”, he said, “You should maybe wait a moment or two before you leave.”

“I will”, Jack nodded.

And before he could say anything else David had climbed through the window and vanished into the darkness outside.

After Jack had returned to the flat there wasn’t a lot, he could do except to wait for David. Something he wasn’t really good at and that made him feel even more trapped in the flat he was imprisoned in. While his fiancée was allowed to go to work every day, he had to stay home having nothing to do but pacing up and down the flat that seemed to get smaller with every day he had to spend there.

His first small victory came about a week after his meeting with David when he had finally been able to convince one of his guards to let him outside for a walk in the middle of the night. It felt good to escape the confinement of the flat and to breath fresh air.

Another week later, Jack had been able to convince a guard to let him outside the flat three more times, the prince finally got the message he had waited for so eagerly. David had made it back to Shiloh and wanted to meet him.

It took him a lot of convincing and a small bribe from a hidden bank account to be let out of the flat, but he somehow made it to David’s hideout.

When David opened the door, Jack had to resist the urge to hug him. Even though he didn’t really want to admit it yet, he had been worried for David for the past two weeks. David didn’t seem to notice Jack’s inner conflict and started to talk about his time in Gath and what he had achieved there as soon as Jack entered the room.

It was almost morning again when Jack sneaked back into the flat, he was imprisoned in. Since the guards had changed since he left, he had to climb in through the window and landed face first on the carpet in his bedroom waking his fiancée in the process.

“Where have you been?”, Lucinda asked sleepily.

“Planning”, Jack answered.

He had slowly let her in on their plans after she had sworn to not tell anyone about it.

“David came back from Gath yesterday and we had a lot to talk about.”

“Okay. And why exactly did you sneak in through the window? You told me about your plans, so you don’t need to keep your meetings with David secret.”

“I didn’t sneak in through the window because of you. The guards outside our flat changed earlier this morning and I can’t trust those standing outside right now.”

“So, you trust me?”

“Of course.”

“Then tell me the truth. All of it.”

“What do you mean? I told you the truth.”

“No, you didn’t. You told me about your plans to overthrow your father. You told me about David helping with that. But you didn’t tell me the whole truth.”

Lucinda had moved to the end of the bed near the window and had pulled Jack onto the bed beside her. She turned toward him and took both of his hands in hers.

“It didn’t escape my notice that you had your hand in another man’s pants while planning our wedding. Neither did it escape my notice that you don’t seem to be as excited about all of this as I am. Or that you don’t seem to love me. Or have any interest in me at all. I’m neither completely blind nor am I dumb. So, please just tell me the truth. You just said you trust me. Then please trust me about this, as well. I can handle it, I promise.”

Jack took a few deep breathes before he could bring himself to answer. Then everything just broke out of him as he couldn’t hold it back any longer.

“You are right. There is another secret I haven’t told you. And I haven’t told you because almost no one knows about this. And those who do made clear what would happen if I told this secret. The thing is, what you’ve been suggesting is right. I am gay. But it has been made clear to me that as a prince and maybe future king I can’t be gay. So, I never told anyone that I am. And my father made sure that everything stayed out of the press. The boys I took home after publicly partying with girls to show everybody that I was a real player. The video of my ex-boyfriend, the only person I ever loved, which he made and in which he outed me before he killed himself. The photos of me at his funeral. Nobody ever got to see any of it, and I wasn’t able to talk about any of it with anyone. I hated it. I felt trapped in this life, but I wasn’t able to make it out and I didn’t dare to out myself. So, I didn’t. I played the perfect prince. I found a woman to marry. I’m sorry for dragging you into all of this, by the way. I really am because you don’t deserve any of this. And when I saw a chance to free myself of my father, I took it. And I got punished for it.”

“Wait? You had a boyfriend who killed himself? And you weren’t ever allowed to mourn him properly?”

“Yes. But that’s okay. I never knew it any other way.”

“No. It is not okay. It is not okay to not be allowed to mourn someone you loved. It is not okay.”

Lucinda had started to stroke Jack’s hands with her thumbs.

“I am so sorry.”

“You don’t have anything to be sorry for.”

“I do. Or am I wrong in thinking that all of this is your punishment? That having to live with me is your punishment?”

She looked at Jack who turned his head away.

“I am right. Am I not?”

“You are right. But none of it is your fault. It isn’t your fault that my father realized I was gay. It isn’t your fault that I will never be able to love you the way you deserve to be loved. It isn’t your fault that you are trapped in this with me, a man you seem to be quite fond of but that won’t ever feel the same way about you. So, there is nothing you need to be sorry for. If anyone should be sorry it is me for dragging you into all of this.”

“Let me make one thing absolutely clear. I forgive you. And thank you for your honesty. Yes, I might love you more than you love me, but I won’t expect anything from you now that I know this. And I won’t tell anyone about any of this. So, for the guards and everyone else everything will stay the same. But as far as we are concerned this relationship is now a friendship instead and if that means that you need to for example move out of our bedroom or anything than I’ll be okay with that.”

“Thank you, but I think, I’m okay.”

“Good. Then let’s get over this and tell me about the plans you and David made tonight.”

Jack sighed and nodded thankfully before he went on to tell Lucinda about the news David had brought back from Gath. Together they made plans on how to achieve what they needed to achieve to make David’s plan work.

For the first time in months Jack looked forward to the future in joy. He thought that maybe everything might be okay at some point in the future. They had a plan that could actually work and telling Lucinda about him being gay had left him feeling freer. Maybe it had been a good idea to tell her. To free himself of this secret. To trust her.

He just hoped that he wouldn’t regret it later because now she knew something, she could use against him at some point.

Lucinda and Jack spent the next two weeks bribing guards and getting them on their side. Thanks to Lucinda being allowed to leave the flat on her own they had a bigger range of action and access to his secret bank account which opened the way to more financial resources. Twice a week Jack sneaked out of the flat to meet David and talk to him about the progress they made and the next steps, it was a slow process and he got more and more impatient with every day that passed. But somehow Lucinda and David managed to calm him down again and again.

Then came the day they had all been waiting for. Lucinda had just gotten back from work and they had sat down for dinner when the news broke that Gath would only continue the peace talks with King Silas if he agreed to a few conditions. Those being that Jack was released from his prison and David would no longer be pursued and allowed back into Shiloh. Jack almost dropped his knife and fork when he heard that rather than telling the king personally the government of Gath had sent their requests to the television network in Gilboa so King Silas would get the news from TV. This was guaranteed to get the king’s attention.

“Do you think that was David’s idea?”, Lucinda asked when the news had moved over to another topic.

“He didn’t say anything but who knows. Either way it’s genius and will definitely get my father’s attention.”

“And everyone else’s. Which means tomorrow could finally be the big day.”

“Let’s hope so.”

They finished dinner before Jack left the flat once again to meet up with David. If everything went according to plan this would be their last meeting in a dark flat on the edge of Shiloh and they would finally be back where they belonged the next time they met.

They went over their plan one last time then David left to get to Port Prosperity before morning because they suspected the biggest demonstrations and outrages there if the king didn’t agree to the conditions and they agreed that Jack should stay in the capital with his fiancée and his sister who he had pulled over to their side, as well.

When Jack made it back to the flat later that night Lucinda and Michelle were waiting for him there.

“It seems everything is going according to plan. David is on his way to Port Prosperity right now.”

“Then let’s hope the people care for peace”, Lucinda sighed.

“They do”, Michelle stressed, “This country can’t afford another war and besides no one likes the way our father is ruling his kingdom right now.”

“I hope you’re right since all of our fates and lives depend on it.”

“It will work. I am sure of it.”

Michelle smiled, but Jack could see that she didn’t really believe it.

“Can I stay here tonight?”

“Of course.”

It got silent in the flat except for the TV still on in the background while they all lost themselves in thoughts about what was to come.

Sometime late in the night a statement from the king was read on TV saying he would not be bullied by another government and that he wouldn’t meet the demands of the government of Gath since it was his decision how he punished his subjects.

It didn’t take long for the first voices to be raised and the news reported of protests and demonstrations planned in the morning all over the country. Within a few hours that morning almost everybody living in Gilboa was up on their feet demonstrating. Demanding the king to reconsider and to not gamble away the peace with Gath just to serve his pride. The king however decided to stay silent and lock himself inside his palace. And with every hour of silence from the palace the calls for Jack to become king got louder. The people demanded to see him and David. They shouted for them to lead them into a new era which was exactly what Jack and David had hoped for. Their plan really did seem to work.

At around eleven o’clock that morning David appeared on a stage in Port Prosperity and showed himself to the cheering crowd. He called for the people to march onto Shiloh without violence and force. To show the king, the police and the military that they were peaceful if they weren’t shot at. The response was overwhelming and within a few hours, big parts of the people from Port Prosperity and other cities all over the country had organized marches onto Shiloh. Lucinda had made sure that each of these marches would be filmed and televised on big screens all over Shiloh. And the people of Shiloh started to put up feeding stations for those who would arrive, so they could get some food and water. Within hours the whole country stood still since no one showed up for work that day.

And while the police and the military had stood against the demonstrating people in the beginning, they soon turned their backs on King Silas when they saw how many people raised up against him. Instead of marching against the protestors and pointing their weapons at them they laid down their weapons and marched with them. Even the police and military in Shiloh, who were especially loyal to the king, laid down their weapons in the early afternoon.

At that point Jack, Lucinda and Michelle were on their way to the demonstrations in Shiloh. At exactly three in the afternoon Jack appeared on the stage in Shiloh and the crowd turned wild. Just like David he asked to keep the demonstrations peaceful and to prove that they didn’t need violence to make sure their voices got heard. Then he promised that he would stand with them against his father and that he learned from his mistakes and would do everything in his power to resume the peace talks with Gath. When he was done, he, his sister and his fiancée joined the crowd and waited for an answer from the palace.

But the king stayed silent. He didn’t react when his police and military turned against him. He didn’t react when his son challenged him. He didn’t react when the first people from all over Gilboa arrived in Shiloh in the late afternoon. He didn’t react when the people lit candles as this warm summer day turned into a summer night. He didn’t react when the people collected all the clothes and blankets, they could find so they could spend the night in the streets of Shiloh. Through all that the king stayed silent.

Unlike his wife. Queen Rose had made her way onto the stage a few hours after Jack had spoken in front of the people. And while she didn’t bring news from the king, she told the people that she supported their demands and that she was on their side. And she stayed with the people. She handed out blankets and clothes to people sitting in the streets. She made sure everyone got some food and something to drink. Just like Jack, Michelle and Lucinda she showed herself to the people and made sure they were okay. She also brought new supplies from the palace and ordered her security detail to take care of people who needed help. And she stood by her people while her husband was still locked inside his palace. The night came and went and to the surprise of a lot of people the protests stayed silent.

When the first sunlight slowly illuminated the streets of Shiloh the last policemen and soldiers still loyal to the king laid down their weapons and turned against their king. Now all he had left were two security guards and this personal secretary. Every other person in the palace had at one point followed the queen’s example and turned on their king who was now standing alone.

When in the late hours of the morning the people from Port Prosperity who had marched through most of the night entered Shiloh with David as their leader there was a lot of cheering. Shiloh’s inhabitants immediately took care of them and made sure they got whatever they needed while David made his way over to the main square where Jack, Michelle, Lucinda and the queen waited for him.

When he saw David, Jack for the first time since they formed their alliance just gave in to the urge to hug him. Without hesitation David returned the hug and for a few seconds they just held onto each other. For these few seconds they didn’t think about what the people around them would of make of this. All that mattered was that they both made it here. That they were unharmed and together again.

And for a brief moment Jack allowed himself to not burry his feelings for David deep inside. He allowed himself to feel all of them and dream about what could come from them if he acted on them. Because if he was absolutely honest with himself, he had fallen in love with David back when he had risked his life to save him from Gath. But since he knew that nothing could come of it, he had buried his feelings deep down. And he did just that again when he reluctantly let go of David after a few seconds. Even though for a brief moment he thought that David didn’t want to let go of him, as well.

While Jack had allowed his real feelings for David to rise to the surface during their hug David had thought about his own feelings. Over his time in the capital he had grown to care for Jack more and more each day and had only reluctantly agreed to help King Silas after he had been shot. Especially since he already hadn’t been sure about what he felt for Jack Benjamin back then. And over the course of them working together against King Silas his feelings for Jack had only grown stronger. If he was absolutely honest with himself, he would have to admit he might have fallen in love with the prince. The prince who was engaged to a woman and who would make that woman his queen no matter what David felt for him. All of this became clear to him when he just held on to Jack for a few seconds in the loud and crowded streets of Shiloh. And still the only thing he really felt was relief. Relief that they had made it to Shiloh. Relief that their plan had worked so far. He could take care of his feelings later. Now they needed to take care of the people wanting to see them. So, he let go of Jack after a few seconds and took a step back.

“I think we should both go up on stage and show these people that we stand together and with them”, David said, his voice slightly hoarse from all the feelings and emotions he was barely able to contain.

“You’re right”, Jack nodded and together they stepped up onto the stage.

After a few moments of cheering the crowd turned silent and Jack walked over to the microphone.

“I’m very proud and happy to stand here with all of you who raised up against my father. Who made clear what they wanted without violence. Who took care of each other and made sure everyone was welcome and felt safe. Thank you. Thank you for showing that demonstrations like this one can be peaceful. Thank you for taking care of each other. All of you are great and together we might be able to change something in this country. I’m just as proud to stand here today next to David Shepherd. David who saved my life back in Gath. David who, from the moment he came to Shiloh, always fought for what he believed was right for the people of Gilboa. David who was loyal to my father when we all thought he was dead. David who fought with my father even though it meant defying me because he believed in my father. David who is one of the most honest and loyal people I know. David who for a long time stood for everything right for and about Gilboa. David who was exiled by my father because my father started to fear the power, he had given to him, and because my father became more and more paranoid. David who in these two days once again stood up for what he believes to be right even though that now means standing against my father. Thank you, David, for standing with us. I think I speak for a lot of these people when I say you standing here means a lot. And I mean it when I say that your friendship means even more to me personally. Thank you for saving my life and thank you for fighting this fight. You truly are a great man.”

While the crowd beneath them cheered, Jack turned to David who immediately pulled him into a hug partly to hide the tears running down his face. And for a second time that day nothing else mattered than their heat against each other’s skin. For a second time that day they held each other tight and that was enough. And for a second time that day they caught themselves thinking that maybe this could be enough for the rest of their lives. That they wouldn’t need anything else if they could just have each other.

“There are a few more things I need to say”, Jack said after they had let go of each other, “First of all, I have no clue where we will go from here. But if we get my father to step down as king, I promise you will get to vote on whether Gilboa is going to stay a monarchy. And even if you vote for a monarchy there will be changes. There will be an elected parliament that will have all the political power and that you will elect in regular intervals. Your elected representatives will make the political decisions and the monarch will only be allowed to sign them into law and will not have any real power. The elected government will also decide whether the peace talks with Gath will continue and they will negotiate the treaty. We will turn this country into a democracy where all of you get a say in what happens and where the people have the power. Because that is what a country in the 21st century should look like.”

The crowd started cheering once again as soon as Jack had stopped speaking. David and Jack left the stage and returned to the streets and to making sure the people were okay and had everything they needed. While they made their way through the streets, they stayed close to each other unconsciously all the time. Somehow, they seemed to not be able to really separate from each other.

It was five in the afternoon when the king’s personal secretary entered the stage on Shiloh’s main square. Immediately silence fell over all of Shiloh and everyone turned to hear what he had to say. He stayed silent for a long time and just let his eyes wander over the crowd before he cleared his throat and started talking.

“About half an hour ago the king was found dead by his personal bodyguard”, he declared, his voice breaking, and all of Shiloh gasped in surprise, “He left a note saying that his people decided to turn against him and he therefore no longer had a reason to live, so he took his own life while praying for the future of the country he loves more than his own life and his family. He also reinstated Jonathan Benjamin, his only son, as his only heir. Saying that he hopes his son has better luck being king than he had.”

The king’s secretary left the stage again while all the people just stood there in silence trying to comprehend what had happened and what that meant for them.

Jack didn’t think about any of that. He didn’t think about the fact his father had made him his heir. He didn’t think about what this meant for his and Gilboa’s future. The only thought he was able to form was “my father is dead”. And even when he had finally formed it, it took another eternity for him to realize that, yes, his father was dead. When the thought finally made it to his consciousness, he completely lost control. He started shaking and he felt like he couldn’t breathe anymore. Within seconds he fainted.

David who stood close to him noticed that Jack wasn’t feeling well and was by his side the second he lost consciousness. He caught him before he hit the pavement.

With Jack in his arms David slowly sat down in the middle of the street carefully making sure he wouldn’t hurt Jack. He pulled Jack’s head into his lap and started gently stroking his hair. Within a few seconds Jack regained consciousness and David pulled back his hand as quickly as possible so Jack wouldn’t notice he had been stroking his hair.

“He is dead”, Jack whispered, his voice shaking and his face completely white, “Just like that. He is gone. Without a last goodbye or last words. Completely unceremoniously he took his own life because he was a coward and couldn’t lose.”

While Jack’s words sounded angry, his tears proved him wrong.

“Why is he allowed to just go?”

“I am sorry”, David whispered and pulled Jack closer into his arms.

For some time, they just sat there in midst of the crowd in the streets of Shiloh and while the people around them slowly started to realize what King Silas’ death meant. They just remained exactly where they were. David held Jack in his arms and gently stroked his hair this time wanting him to notice while Jack just allowed the tears to stream down his face.

After a while Michelle, Lucinda and the queen found them. All of them had traces of tears on their faces and Michelle was still crying in her mother’s arms. The only one not crying was David and even though he knew he should feel sad about the king’s death, all he felt was empty. Queen Rose sadly smiled at him when she sat down next to David and took her son’s hand in her own. Michelle sat down next to her and rested her head on her mother’s shoulders tears still streaming down her face. Lucinda sat down on David’s other side and took over stroking duties.

For what felt like an eternity they just sat there in the streets of Shiloh clinging to each other for support. It took them a long time but somehow all of them got up and slowly made their way over to the main square through all the people of whom the most still just stood there.

“I hope all of you understand that even though in some way we got what we wanted my father’s, our father’s, death is a reason for my family to grieve”, Jack said when he had stepped onto the stage, only David by his side and his voice still shaking, “And I hope you’ll forgive us if we retreat to the palace to grieve in private and to work out what happens now. But before we go, there is one last thing I need to say. I meant everything I said earlier. I will negotiate a little more time with Gath, so all of you can vote on whether you want to abolish monarchy in this country or not and for you to elect a parliament. I will take care of all that, but today I will take care of my family and I hope all of you can forgive me for that. Thank you for your peaceful protest even though it didn’t end the way any of us probably wanted it to end. You showed that change is possible without violence. Now go home and mourn your king or celebrate your victory. Goodbye.”

Instead of cheering or celebrating the crowd in Shiloh stayed completely silent as the royal family, Lucinda and David made their way over to the palace.

“I should go”, David said as he stopped in front of the palace gates, “I don’t belong here.”

“No, you shouldn’t. You belong here just as much as I do and I think I need you now more than ever”, Jack replied, “Please don’t go.”

“Okay”, David nodded and followed Jack into the palace.

When they entered the palace the king’s personal secretary greeted them. He had already involved the police and made sure they had access to the room where the king had killed himself. The king’s body had already been taken away to be prepared for his funeral and the room was locked by police after they had gone through it.

While Michelle, Queen Rose and Lucinda stopped in one of the living rooms and sat down on the couch Jack walked into King Silas’ study. For a while David just stood there trying to decide what to do until Jack gestured for him to join him in the study. Together they started to go through the dead king’s documents and tried to decide where to go from here.

While the royal family was grieving in their palace the people of Gilboa just remained in the streets of Shiloh and when it got dark each and everyone lit a candle and they stood there in silence grieving and paying respects to their dead king. A king who even though in the end most of them didn’t agree with him too much still made Gilboa what it was today. They stood there the second night in a row and when the first light of the next sunny day broke, they still stood there waiting for their new king to claim his title.

“I’m sorry, but I think you should get out there and officially take up your post as king. At least for now”, David told Jack when the sun had risen and the people started to chant Jack’s name, “They want you to be their king.”

“I’m not sure I can be.”

“Why? Because of what your father did?”

“No, because of who I am. If there is something, I’ve learned in my life it is that someone like me should not be king. I’m not fit to rule a kingdom.”

“Jack, you are going to be a good king. You know how I know that? Because you already are. You promised them a choice and as long as you fulfil that promise there is nothing you could really do wrong. And giving them a choice means that you won’t have to rule a kingdom for more than a few weeks. So, go out there and accept the throne they are offering. Don’t accept it from your father if you can’t do that. Accept it from the people. From your people.”

“Are you sure about this?”

“I am. You’ll be okay. I know it.”

“Thank you.”

Jack took a deep breath before he walked over to the living room where his mother, sister and fiancée had spent the night. And while neither David nor Jack had slept the three women had fallen asleep sitting on the couch. So, Jack woke up Lucinda.

“Are you coming?”, he asked when she got up.

“No. We both know that I’m not the person you want by your side and that is okay. I release you from your commitment to me and from our engagement. I wish you all the best for your future and that one day you’ll find happiness with someone but we both know that’ll not be me.”

“So, this is goodbye?”

“It is”, Lucinda nodded, and a single tear ran down her cheek, “You’ll be a good king. I’m sure of that. Goodbye.”

Without another word Lucinda walked past him and out of the room her arms wrapped around herself, but her head held high. Jack took a shaking breath and turned around, so his mother and sister who had just woken up wouldn’t see his tears. Then he rolled back his shoulders and left the room.

“Would you stand by my side one more time?”, Jack asked David as he entered his father’s study where the other man was still standing.

“Always”, David nodded, and a small smile made its way onto his lips.

There was nothing he could do about it.

“Okay, then let’s get changed.”

“Yes, my king.”

“Please stop that. I don’t want you to address me as your king. In fact, would you do me another favour?”

“That depends. What do you want me to do?”

“Would you stay in Shiloh as my personal advisor?”

“Are you going to exile and pursue me for what I’m going to tell you as your advisor?”

“No.”

“Then, yes. Thank you for your trust.”

“Thank you for being there for me and for standing by my side.”

“I only did what I thought was right”, David shrugged.

“That’s why it means so much. Thank you.”

“You know there is another thing I should probably tell you since you’re my personal advisor now and you should be informed about everything”, Jack said when they made their way to his private rooms where they hoped to find something else to wear.

“Okay?”, David asked hesitantly.

“Lucinda broke off our engagement.”

“Okay”, David nodded slowly.

He wasn’t sure where this was going or how he was supposed to react.

“Any particular reason, why?”

“I’m guessing the reason was the fact that I’m gay.”

Suddenly it wasn’t hard at all to say this. It didn’t feel like this big secret that he had to keep at all costs. Maybe it was the death of his father that kind of released him from the pressure he had always put on him. Maybe it was just everything he and David had gone through together in the last weeks. Either way it felt good to tell David.

“You are what?”

David hadn’t meant shout he was just too surprised to control the volume of his voice. And for a second Jack wasn’t sure if it really had been a good idea.

“I’m gay. I thought you already knew. That’s the reason my father never wanted me as the heir to his throne, after all.”

“Is it also the reason you think you’d make a bad king?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Because I won’t have an heir. Because god says being gay is evil. Because the people will hate me.”

“Let me guess, your father told you all this? First of all, if you are king you can just declare someone your heir. Second, god also preaches to love each other no matter what and I like to believe that he won’t ever judge someone for loving. And third, the people probably won’t even care. I’m pretty sure they’d rather see you happy with a man than unhappy with a woman.”

“Thank you.”

“No need to thank me. That’s what personal advisors are meant for.”

“I already regret offering you this job”, Jack chuckled, “You have thought about this quite a lot, haven’t you?”

“About what now?”

“About being gay and god and the people.”

“Hm.”

David had a feeling where this would go, and he really didn’t like that. Yes, Jack had just outed himself but that didn’t mean he would ever have a chance. Nor did it mean he should out himself especially since he still wasn’t sure if he was actually gay or if it was just Jack that made him feel this way.

Jack seemed to pick up on David not wanting to go into detail and they walked the rest of the way to his room in silence.

They changed into something else in Jack’s room. Jack into a black three-piece- suit, a black shirt and a black tie and David into one of Jack’s uniforms. Then they left the palace and made their way to Shiloh’s main stage through the streets that were still packed with people.

“I thank all of you for waiting and for paying your respects to my dead father last night. There will be a public funeral later this week after which my family and I will privately say our goodbyes. We’d like to ask all of you to respect our privacy that day. Last night I decided that the best way to make sure my promises to you get fulfilled is to take up my father’s crown and become your king. At least until I made sure you’ll get to vote on the future form of government. I also asked David to assist me with all these tasks as my personal advisor and very much to my joy he agreed. I also talked to the president of Gath and he agreed to grant us all the time we need to vote on our form of government and to hold elections before we resume the peace talks with Gath. Until then the peace that is now in place and that includes Port Prosperity belonging to Gilboa will stay in place. He also hinted that he might go without Port Prosperity becoming a part of Gath if certain other demands, he did not yet name and he will negotiate with our new government, are met. For now, that is everything I can offer you. Thank you for believing in me and for standing with me despite everything I did. And once again thank you for mourning with us last night. It meant a lot.”

Jack turned away from the microphone to leave when he remembered something else and turned back.

“There is one last thing. I’m sorry to announce that Lucinda and I broke off our engagement. To be honest the relationship was mostly a necessity because my father demanded a fiancée and I never had any real feelings for her. She is a great woman and deserves so much more than a man who doesn’t love her which is why we decided to call it quits.”

He turned away again, took a deep breath and left the stage, David by his side. Somewhere on their way back to the palace their hands found each other, and their fingers intertwined without either of them doing it on purpose. But for a second, they both thought that maybe they could make it through all of it together.


End file.
